Saturday, February 27, 2010

Are You A Smart Atheist or A Not-So-Smart Theist

Results from a research experiment that are slated to be published on March 2010 in the issue of Social Psychology Quarterly, it was concluded that most individuals who identify themselves as liberal and atheist had a higher I.Q. then people who characterized themselves as conservative (source).

The article goes on to say that "The IQ differences, while statistically significant, are not stunning" and that "the data should not be used to stereotype or make assumptions about people."

Stereotyped

Although the individuals who executed the above experiment go on to say that stereotypes based on their conclusions are inappropriate, the reality is that they are also inevitable. How many well known misanthropic atheists such as Richard Dawkings, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris - who have virulently lumped together every member of just about every religious tradition with the perpetrators of the September 11th attacks - are going to feel intellectually glorified after reading the conclusions of this experiment? Their type of atheism is venomous, and is guided not so much by disbelief in God as it is by a deep seated rancor towards religion.

Apocalyptic Babble

"But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." ~ Matthew 24:36

With all the horrific earthquakes and tsunamis that the world has experienced in recent years, I'm surprised that Christian fundamentalists haven't revved-up their end-of-times sermons and preachification. For how long have religious and New Age zanies been predicting the rapture and the end of the world? I've been hearing this stuff for years now with no accuracy whatsoever. Someday they're going to get it right, not because they have some supernatural contact telling them things none of us can hear, but because eventually we know the world will come to an end. Even the irreligious who practice their own version of scientific fundamentalism believe the earth will someday perish.

Remember, folks, when it comes to Catholicism and eschatology, Mathew 24:36 is the golden rule.